Automatic switch for point blades



D. ARCANIv 'AUTOMATI-C SWITCH 'FOR POINT BLADES- N0v.1s, 1924.v 1,515,587

Filed Julgv 29.. 1922 3 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1924. 1,515,587

D.ARcAN| AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR POINT BLADES Filed July 29, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet Y3 u yrwenlob wydmam/L,

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNTE

DOMINGO ARCANI, .OF LA PLATA, ARGENTINA.

l AUTOMATIC SV/'ITCI-I FOR POINT BLADES.

Application led July 29, 1922. Serial No. 578,493.

TQ all w/zom t may concer/12,.'

Be it known that I, DoMiNco ARGANI, a citizen of the Republic of Argentina, residing at 1097 51 Street, La Plata, Republic ofy Argentina, have invented-new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches for Point Blades, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto railway switches, the object of the invention being to provide an improved, electrically-controlled switchoperating mechanism which is comparatively simple in construction and very eilicient in operation.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the switch block;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the box containing one of the electromagnets for operating the switch blade;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of track including a switch and illustrating the relative location of the shiftable switch blade and its operating magnets, the cover of the magnet-carrying boxes being removed;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a switching 1 chamber carrying mechanism for closing the circuit through said magnets, the lid of the chamber being removed;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken ,approximately on the line V-V of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the lower part of a vehicle carrying means for actuating the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the lower part of a vehicle taken at right-angles to Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan View illustrating the electrical circuits.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a switch-block having a portion forming a continuation of the straight rail 2 and a curved portion forming a switch rail, a shiftable switch blade 12 being pivoted at 13 in an opening 14 formed in the block between said rail portions in the usual manner for directing a vehicle. A pair of electromagnets 4 and 5 enclosed in hermetically sealed boxes 3 are supported in the block 1,V

one at each side thereof, each of said boxes being provided with a removable cover 17 to facilitate cleaning. Below the smaller end of the switch blade 12, the block 1 is cut away to form a recess in which is located al member 8 having a pair of laterally extending arms 6 and 7 forming armatures located in position to be attracted respectively by the electromagnets 4 and 5, said member `8 being covered by a plate 15 which is secured at its opposite ends by means of screws 16 to the block 1. The end 0f the member 8 nearest the electromagnets is of V-shaped formation, while the corresponding endwall of the recess in the block is wedge-shape, as shown atQ, Fig. 8, and extends into said V- shaped end. The opposite end of the member 8 is provided with a U-sha'ped recess 10 into which projects a depending pin 11 carried by the shiftable switch blade 12, said pin passing through a slot in the cover plate 15." It will thus be seen that when one of the electromagnets 4, 5 is excited, its corresponding armature 6, Twill be attracted, whereupon the member 8 will be caused to swing toward one side or the other, its V- shaped end fulcruming on the wedge portion 9, and thus by means of the engagement of the member 8 with the pin 11 the switch rblade, 12 will be swung on its pivot towardy one side or the other, depending on which one of the magnets is energized.

For cooperation with the magnets above described, I have provided what is herein termed a switching chamber, which comprises a metal box 18 (Figs. 3 to 7) located midway between the rails at a suitable distance. from the switch, said box being provided with a cover 19 secured thereto by screws 20. Midway cf the box 19 a U-shaped member 21.is secured tol the bottom of the box, the legs of said member extending upwardly` adjacent to the opposite sides of the box and supporting at their upper ends a pair of plates 24 and 25, which are pivoted at 22 and 23 respectively to said legs. The plates are maintained in their horizontal, inoperative position by means of counterweights 26 and 27 respectively, which are slidable on rods depending from the plates and may be secured on said rods by means of thumbscrews, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, whereby the lever effect of the weights on the plates is readily; adjustable. Depending from the plates 24 and 25 are a pair of spring members 28 and 29, each carrying adjacent to its lower end a contact member adapted to contact respectively with a pair of contact members 32 andr 83 carried by brackets and 3l respectively, secured to but insulated from the bottom ot the box 18, the plates being so balanced on their pivots that when in their horizontal position the contact members are separated. The contact members 82 and 38 are electrically connected by means of wires b and 0 respectively with one pole of each of the electromagnets 5 and 4, hereinbe'fore described, said wires passing through a tube or conduit 35', the remaining pole ot each of said electromagnets being connected by a conductor a with a suitable source of energy.

The actuating device comprises a pair of electromagnets 89 and 40, each carried by a metal box 37 and 88 respectively secured to beams 36 carried by the frame 41 of the vehicle. One terminal ot each ot said magnets is grounded on its box, while the other terminal is connected by a wire al and e respectively with a manually operated'control switch carried on the vehicle, a conventional form of which switch is indicated at 42 in Fig'. 8.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Assuming that the vehicle is to follow the straight track and that the switch blade is set so as to direct the vehicle on to the curved track. Before passing over the switch chamber, the operator of the vehicle will pull the control switch handle 43 toward the right in Fig. 8 so as to close the circuit at 44, whereupon current will flow from the generator through the conductor 0., control switch, wire e, magnet 40, and back through the ground rail 2. The magnet being thus excited will attract plate 25, swinging it on its pivot and closing the circuit at 83, whereupon current will flow from the' generator through conductor a, magnet 5, wire contacts 83, 29, and back through rail 2. Magnet 5 being thus excited will pull armature 7, thereby causing the member 8 to Jr'ulcrum on the wedge-shaped portion 9, while its opposite end swings toward the right in Fig. 8, thus carrying the switch blade 12 into close contact with the curved portion of the switch and leaving the straight track ahead clear. On the other hand, if the switch blade is set so as to direct the vehicle onto the curved track and it is desired to send the vehicle straight ahead, on approaching the switch the operator pulls the control switch toward the left in Fig. 8,

rthereby to close the circuit at 45, whereupon current will flow through wire d, magnet 39 and back through rail 2, thus energizing saidmagnet and attracting plate'24 and closing the circuit at 32, whereupon current will ow through conductor a, magnet 4, wire c, contacts 82, 28 and back through rail 2, thereby exciting magnet 4 and attracting armature 8 and swinging member 8 toward the left of Fig. 8, whereby the curved portion of the switch will be left clear for the passage of the vehicle.

1li-7 hile I have illustrated and described my improved apparatus in connection with a single blade switch, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the apparatus is equally well-adapted for use in connection with switches having multiple blades, since it would be necessary only to multiply the number of electromagnets to correspond with the increased number of shittable switch blades to be operated. It will also be obvious that this apparatus is adaptable `for use in connection with any vehicle which travels on a track, and that the control mechanismy may as readily be arranged Yfor operation from a signal tower as from the vehicle itself. l am aware that these and many other mechanical changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is: y

l. The combination with a switch block and a shittable switch blade carried thereby, of a member pivotally connected to said blade and fulcrumed on said block, a pair of armatures carried by said member, electromagnets disposed in position to attract said armatures thereby to move said member in opposite directions, and means for selectively energizinO said magnets.

2. The combination with a switch block and a shiftable switch blade carried thereb y, of a member pivotally connected to said blade and ulcrumed on said block, said member having a pair of arms extending laterally therefrom at opposite sides thereof, electromagnets', one for each of said arms, disposed in position to attract the arms thereby to rock said member in opposite directions, and means Jor selectively energizing said magnets.

3. The combination with a switch block and a shiftable switch blade carried thereby, of a member pivotally connected to said blade and itulcrumed on said block, said member having a pair ot arms extending laterally therefrom at opposite sides thereof, electromagnets, one for each of said arms, disposed in position to att 1act the arms thereby to rock said member in opposite directions, and magnetically operated means for selectively energizing said magnets.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

DOMINGO ARCANI.

llO 

